By-Election Portents
The defeat of the Government candidates in the by-elections of Rugby and Wallasey, following a similar result at Grantham, cannot be dismissed as local incidents due to exceptional circumstances. When all allowance is made for stale registers and small polls, there remains obvious significance in the rejection of three candidates enjoying the support of all the political organisations that stand behind the Government. It has been suggested that the polls reflect the growing reaction against the manipulation of elections by the party machines. This may have had something to do with it, but we must look farther for a complete explanation. It is pretty certainly a case of the swing of the pendulum. This cannot assert itself through the return of an Opposition candidate, for there is no Opposition. In looking for new blood the elector is driven to vote for an Independent who has no obligation the Government .organisation. Also it must be noted that all defeated candidates belong to the party which has a majority Parliament. It should be emphasised that in every case the v for an Independent, so far from being against the war, was in fay of its more vigorous prosecution, and the successful candidate ieturned to ginger up the Government in the House of Comm° The present Parliament has exceeded its normal term of life, and held responsible for all that has disappointed the country's ex tion. By-elections now, as in peace-time, are the means of regist ing discontents. The demand is for more energy, more original more decisive evidence of the will to victory. •
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